In-town antique Colonial blends history with modern amenities

The formal living room at 8 Grove Lane in Greenwich features hardwood flooring and a fireplace.

The formal living room at 8 Grove Lane in Greenwich features hardwood flooring and a fireplace.

Photo: PlanOmatic

Photo: PlanOmatic

Image
1of/5

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 5

The formal living room at 8 Grove Lane in Greenwich features hardwood flooring and a fireplace.

The formal living room at 8 Grove Lane in Greenwich features hardwood flooring and a fireplace.

Photo: PlanOmatic

In-town antique Colonial blends history with modern amenities

1 / 5

Back to Gallery

You might not expect a home of a certain age to be perfectly move-in ready, but the antique Colonial at 8 Grove Lane in Greenwich is just so. Originally built in 1798, the updated 4,172-square-foot single-family home presides over a 0.7-acre lot. The property is listed for $2.495 million by Sharon Kinney and Margi Vorder Bruegge of Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

The house was part of the Mead homestead — built by Richard Mead, a revolutionary soldier, and the residence for Colonel Thomas A. Mead of the Connecticut Militia’s 9th Regiment.

“It was originally located where Greenwich Library is and was the home in which the town entertained General Lafayette when he visited the town in 1824,” Kinney explained. “At a recent open house, we were delighted to have [Greenwich historian] Jeffrey Bingham Mead come to see the family homestead.”

The property’s current owners — now, sellers — fell in love with the home during a drive-by.

“I distinctly remember going, ‘Oh! That’s the kind of house we want!’ We love a classic colonial, and this is a classic colonial,” the seller said. “It was so welcoming, such a pretty house.”

Accessed by way of the curved drive, the front entrance — buttressed by columns and covered, protected from the elements — opens to a front-to-back 33-by-12-foot foyer, an inviting space to greet guests when entertaining.

The main level also includes a blend of formal and cozy rooms, including a spacious living room, a den and powder room, and a family room. Hardwood flooring is found throughout, and there are fireplaces in the formal living room and family room.

The den has period charm, too, with practical and beautiful built-ins and another fireplace.

Details

Address: 8 Grove Lane, Greenwich

Price: $2.495 million

Number of Rooms: 10

Features: Built in 1799, this classic colonial has been updated and is move-in ready, with 4,172 square feet of living space, five bedrooms, four full baths and one partial bath. The floor plan includes a formal living room, eat-in kitchen and dining area, den, family room and a third-level bonus room. The one-car garage is attached, while a two-car garage is detached from the house. A stone patio sits off the rear of the home, as well as the three-season porch off the master suite. The landscaped lot is 0.7-acre lot.

Schools: North Street School, Central Middle, Greenwich High

The home’s eat-in kitchen has lightly finished hardwood flooring, distinctive from the darker boards found in the rest of the house. The light hue and white cabinetry creates a bright aesthetic. The designer cleverly included a built-in workstation, too, which can be a great spot for home management tasks, recipe consultation or homework sessions. There’s room to add a center island, but the homeowner noted that it’s a very workable kitchen with the unimpeded space.

The kitchen is complemented by a dining area that’s the perfect dimensions for a four-top breakfast table. The combined space opens out to covered stone patio.

Upstairs, the floor plan includes the family bedrooms, three full baths, and the master suite, which has a new bath of its own — clad in marble, with dual vanity sinks and a walk-in shower. The master bedroom also opens out to a second-story covered porch. “It’s a wonderful feature,” the homeowner said of the porch, which needed “a little TLC” when they bought the home. They’ve put in the time and money to scrape and paint it and to install new screens and windowpanes. Three seasons a year, it’s now a perfect vantage point to enjoy the expansive view of the side yard and gardens, and the front of the property, as well.

The house also has third-level bonus space, with a vaulted ceiling, exposed post-and-beam construction and a fireplace. The listing agents suggested it could be designed and tasked to be a “magnificent gathering room.”

“It’s a knockout,” the seller said. “You walk into the space and think, ‘Oh my! This is amazing!’ There’s air conditioning up there, so it could make for family space or a grand master suite, or divvied up into several rooms. There are so many options.”

The sellers made a number of improvements and updates to the home during their time here. They added central air conditioning and upgraded the electrical systems. They fenced in the yard and began tending to the landscaping and gardens. They gave the driveway an overhaul and updated two of the home’s bathrooms.

The Realtors also pointed out that there is ample F.A.R. to allow for some expansion of the home, should the next residents require a little more room.

“We loved the location,” the seller said. “It’s an amazing Greenwich location — on a nice street, with privacy and quiet.”

Greenwich Avenue is nearby, and most conveniences — the Library, train station, hospital and grocery store, for example — are all within walking, biking or quick-drive distance from this lovely in-town historic home.

Today's Top Insider StoriesOur journalists provide in-depth analysis and reporting about the people, places and issues that matter most to you. Subscribers get access to all of their comprehensive coverage.Stories from Insider